Saturday, 7 January 2017

Land Yachting

As much as I long for those lazy, warm summer days afloat on board Shoal Waters during the midst of a cold winter, with her tucked away in hibernation, I also quite enjoy the winter time and being free to play around with my other little boats. This winter I've moved a couple of steps forward on a spot of land yachting I had been contemplating for my 12' punt, Winkler.

I didn't think too much about how I was going to go about adapting her other than I wanted to try and see if I could steer her as one does with a tiller. And, for wheels use the trolley wheels I already had and, in fashion with Winkler's initial build, do it at minimal cost... I'm pleased to be able to say I managed all the above with minimal effort and this time no cash outlay.

Initial land trials found life evolving around the rhythm of nature just as much it does with my cruising year in Shoal Waters. Without sail set Winkler rolled surprisingly free on urban tarmac, but it was a different matter altogether on the sticky Shoebury sands where tide tables are scanned in reverse for low water times and a force two fails miserably to move her more than a few inches...

After more trials I came to conclude that for land yachting one wants a very strong wind indeed, and lots of it, and a firmer packed surface... Then I must remember this is a Mk 1 version and things can be adapted or tweaked further... The fun continues!

Photos speak a thousand words so here's a couple of pics of Winkler adapted for land yachting (Mk 1 version). The tiller pivots up and down and, with regards the science of leverage, is probably not ideal, being the shorter lever, but it works well enough when Winkler is moving...

4 comments:

I love your free spirit Tony, this post took me back many years when we tried to make a land yacht using a couple of launching trollies and a rigged OK dinghy...Well I can safely say we scared the wits out of ourselves, not so much the starting but how did you stop when flying down the road at what seemed like 100mph! Many many years later my wife's cousin developed the Blokart here in New Zealand, a very different kettle of fish and great fun on the beach. As you mention hard fairly dry sand is best as can be seen in this video...https://youtu.be/TXSj0CBKxaI Keep up the good work!

Have done proper landyachting,think it best to steer front wheel,you can do this with a home and 2 strings, much as a Soap box, to get the best speed, you need to be sheeted hard in on a beam reach, as for stopping, the way to do it is to tube, sheeted in hard,, or just to heave to, but doesn't stop as quickly.You do have the room at Shoebury with the tide out,but it is a bit soft,harder ,drier Sand is best,how about out on the Buddy and Ray sand,nobody will bother you out there at LAW.

Welcome to the Creeksailor site

Take a seat in this tiny wooden cockpit of the web. Within these pages can be found true stories of high seas adventure, or rather pottering and creek crawling in the ditches and creeks of the Thames Estuary. I write about the wonders of our East Coast and hope that you the reader, like many others have, find these pages are a celebration of it. While here you may feel the wind blowing in the rigging, the rattling of halyards up the mast, and smell the very essence of sea-country.

contact: creeksailor @ hotmail.co.uk

Shoal Waters - 54 years old in 2017

Still travelling the ancient trade routes of the East Coast under sail, paddle and oar. Follow us on Twitter Follow @inshoalwaters

Gaff Jaws

04/07/17No 3 of the unscripted ramblings series 'Within Soundings' published. This one's straight from the mud at Fingringhoe...19/06/17First of new series of video clips titled 'Within Soundings' published.23/04/172017 Small Boat Sailors Rally: Anyone wishing to join us contact for details. 20/04/17River Blackwater Creeksailor book available in mono here15/04/17May 2017 PBO: I take a look at cruising the Walton Backwaters, Essex. Out now...

Creeksailor Book Ready About

Exploring Blackwater creeks

Like what you see? Donate to the Muddy Cause.

SHOAL WATERS 'STUMBLE'

GO GAFF picture cards

Mud Splatchers (all sizes)

note: Most of my images on this site are large files so may take time loading, more recent images are smaller files. All the text and images on this site are subject to copyright. Aknowledement of Creeksailor is required for any use so if you would like to copy, borrow or use in any way the images or text within please drop me a line first. Hope you enjoy the pages here.